Tom Raffield

Tom Raffield designs and makes steam-bent timber lighting and furniture from a solar-powered workshop in Cornwall, using a craft technique that bends British hardwoods into sculptural curves without breaking or laminating the grain. Each piece, from the Helm pendant to the Noctis side table, is made to order in the UK from sustainable sources.
  • Artus Pendant Light Artus Pendant Light Small
  • Verso Table Lamp Verso Table Lamp Oak
    2 Finish options
  • Shore Pendant Light Shore Pendant Light Oak
    2 Finish options
  • Verso Flush Ceiling Pendant Light Verso Flush Ceiling Pendant Light Oak
  • Skipper Table Lamp Skipper Table Lamp Oak
    2 Finish options
  • Hanter Wall Light Hanter Wall Light Oak / Hardwired
    2 Finish options
  • Drift Flush Ceiling Light Drift Flush Ceiling Light Oak
  • Urchin Wall Light Walnut Urchin Wall Light Oak
  • - 15% OFF
    Perfect
    Hanter Wall Light Noctis | Plug & Switch Hanter Wall Light Oak / Hardwired

    Steam-bending is a centuries-old craft where solid wood is exposed to pressurised steam for several hours, softening the fibres enough to shape around a mould. Once cooled, the wood holds its new form without glue or lamination. Tom Raffield has modernised the technique for lighting and furniture, producing curves that machine-cut timber could never achieve.

    Tom Raffield is designed and made in Cornwall, at a workshop in Helston powered by solar panels and a biomass boiler. Each piece is made to order by a team of craftspeople using British-sourced oak, ash and walnut. The Cornwall studio runs tours by appointment for anyone interested in seeing the steam-bending process first hand.

    Most Tom Raffield pieces are made to order with typical lead times of 4 to 8 weeks from confirmation to dispatch. This allows for bespoke finishes, custom cable lengths on lighting, and occasional size adjustments on furniture. Stock pieces ship faster, with availability shown clearly on each product page.

    Tom Raffield uses UK-sourced hardwoods from managed forests, runs the workshop on solar power, and ships in recyclable packaging. The biomass boiler runs on offcuts from the production process itself, so waste wood becomes heat rather than landfill. For shoppers prioritising sustainability, few British lighting brands match this level of closed-loop practice.

    • Meet The Designer: Tom Raffield
      Designers
      Meet The Designer: Tom Raffield
      Tom Raffield is the brains behind some of our most popular designs. For example, the Skipper Pendant Light and the Morvah Wall-Hanging Planter. Creating furniture, lighting and home accessories from his base in Cornwall, Tom Raffield’s origins lie in steam bending. Today, his creations break new ground by finding the perfect balance between traditional techniques and modern technologies. So, we dug a little deeper to find out a little more about the contemporary designer. What makes Tom Raffield designs so special? The things that we produce can’t be mass produced. It doesn’t matter how many lights or pieces of furniture we’re making, we always make that product the same way. We put the same amount of care and attention into each individual product. It’s made by a craftsperson, by one of us, at our workshop. It’s not been made on a large production line. We want to make sure it’s as good as it possibly can be so it’s going to last a lifetime. Tell us a little bit about the process of steam-bending It’s a very low-tech process. We don't use any particularly expensive machinery or sophisticated equipment. It’s all so basic but the thing that makes it special is our belief in doing things in a new way and using the tools in a new way. The outcome is something that’s completely unique. What do you consider when creating a new design? For us it’s not just about making a really beautiful product, it’s also about understanding where that product comes from. It’s about understanding the process that made that product as well as the trees that created the wood to make that product. Having such a good understanding of the material and the process ensures there are no restrictions on creativity – knowing that anything can be achieved is extraordinarily liberating. What does sustainability mean to you and your business? I truly believe that sustainability should be synonymous with good design, much like quality and function are, and that this is the answer to over-consumption and the environmental challenges we face. It’s fantastic to see consumer expectations changing to recognise this too and I hope sustainable design principles will become more widely adopted by leading designers as time goes on. What’s your favourite design? We've done lots of incredible projects spanning over a decade. One of the more recent ones would have to be our house that appeared on Channel 4 Grand Designs in 2016. Similarly, 2018’s Chelsea Flower Show Pavilion had an enormous steam-bent bench which was probably the biggest free-standing structure we've built to date. Shop Tom Raffield
    • Tom Dixon Design Talk
      Events
      Tom Dixon Design Talk
      On Wednesday we welcomed Tom Dixon back to our flagship store for the latest in our Meet the Designer series of events. Held within the beautiful setting of our fabrics department, the packed audience were treated to a personal insight into the designer’s life and work with Becky Sunshine of The Pool acting as host throughout the evening. Matching the relaxed atmosphere with artisan drinks, G-Vine Gin and Fever Tree were also on hand to keep the uber-hip crowd refreshed. After all, what better way to enjoy an evening of design than with a finely crafted gin and tonic? Head to our events page to see our line-up of future designer talks, workshops and exclusive parties.
    • Heal's Discovers 14: Tom Parfitt
      Designers
      Heal's Discovers 14: Tom Parfitt
      Our last (but certainly not least) Heal’s Discovers 2014 finalist is Tom Parfitt. His future as a designer was clear from a young age – he’s come a long way from constructing toys from cardboard boxes… After leaving school in 2005 Tom Parfitt started an apprenticeship in cabinet making at British furniture brand Benchmark, who manufacture the Heal's Cranborne range. Having worked there for five years, surrounded by the work of prominent designers such as Russell Pinch, Tomoko Azumi and Steuart Padwick, he decided to formally study furniture design. During his degree in Furniture: Design & Make at Rycotewood in Oxford, which works in partnership with Bucks University as part of the National School of Furniture, Tom developed new design skills and explored methods of working. In his third year, Tom won a competition to design outdoor seating for one of the gardens of Queen’s College Oxford. Going right in with a big question, how would you describe good design? What do you think it should achieve? Good design is fit for purpose and at best enriches the environment around us. Good design almost takes on an energy and life of its own, with decisions feeling natural and justified. Pontification is the death nail of good design. Good design exhibits clarity of thought and should be able to clearly communicate an idea, vision or ethos. To me, it should feel as if the design has landed from outer space, new from nowhere, timeless. Which Heal's Designer – from any era - inspires you and why? David Irwin. I am really inspired by the quality of his work, and by the refinement and level of detail he builds into each of his products. He manipulates different materials seemingly with ease and, above all, his work excites me. I believe he will go on to be one of Britain’s leading product designers. Where in the world have you been inspired ? Close to home I have been inspired by the city of Oxford, its architecture and heritage. Oxfordshire is a beautiful county and the city has a feel and energy that I tapped into when studying there. I have been working very hard over the last eight years and would like to travel more in the coming years, Copenhagen, Milan and Tokyo would be on my list of destinations. Finally, and this doesn’t have to be design related, what are your three favourite things, and why? A good cup of tea. I am a man of simple pleasures and can’t imagine a world without tea; it comforts and brings people together in ritual. I can always rely on a cup of tea and it helps me to think. Liverpool Football Club. Why would you support any other team? Watching a good film. Films have the power to inspire, move and entertain, in a way perhaps no other medium can. In fact my dream job would be as a production designer